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Month: April 2017

Starbucks released their special edition Unicorn Frappuccino on April 19, and it was the perfect Internet sensation. Bright colors, great for Instagram pics, associated with one of Tumblr’s favorite mythical beasties. Of course everyone would want one! And the flavors described on the menu didn’t sound…that bad. Unfortunately, the votes are in and the Unicorn Frappuccino tastes like it came out of the unicorn’s backend.

Twitter is full of responses to this monstrosity’s flavor, but Katy Perry somewhat perfectly encapsulates the experience of taking your first sip with this Snapchat:

In addition to the Unicorn Frappuccino not being all that delicious, it is also apparently slowly killing our nation’s Starbuck baristas this week.

The Associated Press reports that Colorado barista Braden Burson posted to social media about his first day of making these concoctions, and it sounds like a nightmare. He eventually deleted the post after it went viral, and Starbucks reached out to him (with a promise not to fire him from his job), but apparently he claimed he’d “never been so stressed out” in his life than during his attempts to fill Unicorn Frappuccino orders.

He’s not the only barista claiming to have that experience:

So, it tastes bad and it’s bad for the people making it, but damn…it looks good.

If I was a Muslim woman, I probably wouldn’t wear a hijab. That doesn’t mean I have anything against headscarves; if someone wants to wear one, then more power to them. I think hijabis have proven that wearing one doesn’t hinder their abilities from being a top-level competitive athlete.

Take Ibtihaj Muhammad, for example.

Or Kubra Dagli, a Tae Kwon Do bad-ass who opts to wear a hijab, even during competitions.

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With more and more female hijabi athletes getting exposure, brands are responding to suit their needs. Nike, for example, has created a “Pro Hijab,” a specially designed head-covering that’s better suited to athletic tasks.

When it comes to the world of fencing and Tae Kwon Do, a headscarf may seem out of place, but not so much as a sport like, let’s say, boxing. Where competitors usually wear shorts and tank tops to compete.

Which is why 16-year-old Amaiya Zafar is counting it as a victory that she’ll be able to officially box wearing long-sleeves and leggings.

She was previously barred from competing in boxing matches under USA Boxing’s regulations on wearing religious coverings in competition. However, the Council of American Islamic Relations recently announced that an exemption was made in the case of Zafar, and will probably set a precedent for other aspiring hijabi female boxers in the future.

“She’s put a lot of labor into this. She earned the right to showcase her skills, and I’m happy for her. But it’s just the first step in letting her achieve her dreams.”

For Zafar, this is the first step in establishing her career as a professional fighter.

Her inaugural match will be held on April 29th at the Spring Fling Amateur Boxing Tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“I’m ready. You get so invested. My weight is in the right place. My head is in the game.”

Competing in the Olympics while wearing a hijab, however, is a whole other obstacle Zafar will have to face.

She plans on competing in the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo, however the International Boxing Association has yet to lift its ban on allowing competitors to wear religious attire in matches. USA Boxing is a different regulatory body entirely. In fact, it’s the AIBA that is in charge of governing internationally conducted matches.

CAIR, an Islamic rights organization, is assisting Zafar in getting an exemption to wear her scarf, long-sleeves, and leggings should she make the Olympic team.

“We welcome this partial victory and look forward to the day when athletes of all faiths may compete nationally and internationally while maintaining their religious principles,” Ibrahim Cooper, from CAIR, said.

Even though Zafar could be getting ahead of herself (she hasn’t fought her first match yet), her coach says that she’s already inspired tons of other young, female Muslim athletes.

And now, she’s bought someone a $ 2,000 mattress. Why? Because they let her use the bathroom. Sagine Lazarre works at Six Corners Mattress in Chicago, and last Thursday, a woman jogging by stopped in and asked to use the bathroom. Lazarre said she could.

“She comes out of the bathroom and asks me which one of these (mattresses) is my favorite. I told her … She told me she wanted to buy it for me. And I was was so shocked!”

Lazarre thought the woman was joking, but the woman told her she wanted to thank her for letting her use the bathroom and mentioned that she was a comedian. When she went to pay for the mattress, Lazarre saw the name “Amy Schumer” on the credit card.

Lazarre said that after Schumer left, she looked her up:

“After she left, I Googled her name. The lady that was right there talking to me is Amy Schumer. It was amazing. Unbelievable.”

Lazarre and her daughter just moved into a new apartment, so she says the mattress came at a perfect time.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to share custody of a child with an ex. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t ever get divorced or split up – as Louis C.K. said, no one’s ever left an amazing relationship just because. That would be horrible.

But I don’t know if I’d be a big enough person to put my pettiness and anger to the side in order to have a mature, separate relationship with my ex for the sake of our children.

Or if I had to share pets with them, either. Because pets are basically fluffier versions of children that you don’t have to start a college fund for, right?

Homeboy still gets their dog a birthday gift card, two years after they’ve broken up.

Just look at this awesomeness.

He even included a touching message in the card.

Sorry for the late birthday gift. Work has been hectic. So I didn’t get a chance to get you something on time. Anyways, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you got spoiled on your special day. I also hope you’re doing well. Knowing you, I’m sure you haven’t slowed down and are just as much of a handful now as you were when we first got you. Usually this is the part where I tell you some story of how you got on my nerves like when you chewed up my credit card and then hid it. (I still have that card by the way) or how you did something incredibly adorable or funny like your first ever bath. But to be honest as precious as those memories are to me it’s the little thing I tend to think about the most.

Those times where me and you would just chill on the couch and watch TV. How you would be up every time I got up early in the morning to see me off to work. The play fights we would have together. Those pictures your mom would send me of that absolutely pathetic/adorable face you would make every time as you watched her leave for work. These are the things I will remember the most.

Watching you grow up from a puppy that fit in the palm of my hand to the overgrown big dog that you are now was nothing short of an adventure, and I loved every moment of it. There is honestly not one time where thinking of you has failed to put a smile on my face. I will forever be great grateful to you for that. Thank you. I wasn’t able to get you something for Christmas so I added a little extra to your card. Try not to destroy your new toys too quickly 🙂 I love you, Buddy. There isn’t a day that I don’t think of you. As always, continue to take care of yourself and your mom.

Continue to be there for her like you were for me.

I miss you Buddy. See you when I see you.

Love, Dad.”

The touching gesture understandably got some serious love from Twitter.

Viral Photo From NYC’s Subway Captures America’s Diversity In The Best Way

By Mark Pygas

2 hours ago

It’s easy to forget that the United States of America was a nation founded by Puritans fleeing religious persecution in Europe. And who, at least initially, were welcomed by and lived in relative peace with the native population. And it’s that mixing pot of people and ideas from all different backgrounds that catapulted the country into global superpower status.

And while calls from President Donald Trump to build a wall on the border with Mexico, and to stop accepting refugees from certain countries, have been incredibly worrying, they’ve not stopped Americans from all backgrounds living in peace together.

While a Taoist, a Hasidic Jewish couple, and a nursing Muslim mother may sound like the start of a joke, it’s a pretty normal sight on New York City’s subway. Jackie Summers, a Brooklyn man, recently shared a photo he captured which sums up America pretty perfectly.

In a caption alongside the photo, Summers writes:

“A Taoist (me) gives up his seat so a Hasidic couple could sit together. They scoot over so a Muslim mother could sit and nurse her baby, on Easter Sunday. This is my America: people letting people be people.”

A Taoist (me) gives up his seat so a Hasidic couple could sit together. They scoot over so a Muslim mother could sit and nurse her baby, on Easter Sunday. This is my America: people letting people be people.

And people seem to agree, with the post picking up some 57,000 shares and 75,000 likes since it was posted on Easter Sunday.

Summers told The Independent that he didn’t really think much of the moment until something suddenly clicked and he decided to take the photo.

“I did not think about giving up my seat for the couple; the couple did not think about moving along to make room for the mother with her child.”

“We live in a time when race, sexuality and religion have become divisive…But we have more important things to worry about than the color of someone’s skin, or how they worship God.”

Facebook commenters seemed to agree that the photo was a nice reminder of what America represents.

“THIS, is what makes America great,” one commenter wrote. “And these days I’ve been struggling to find ways to feel good about America. We, the people… thank you for restoring a little of my faith in humanity today.”

While another added:

“Jackie’s photo and accompanying story made my day. Returning to this post in my feed and seeing folks work stuff out in the subsequent comments — in a civil and thoughtful fashion, mind you — gives me hope.”

Whatever color you are, religion you practice, or who you love, you all have one thing in common — you’re all American.

And for Steve Stephens, aka The Facebook Live Killer, his craving for fries is ultimately what did him in.

McDonald’s employees working in an Erie, Pennsylvania location immediately recognized the man who ordered a 20-piece chicken McNuggets and large fries as Stephens. They acted fast by devising a ploy that would keep him at bay long enough for the cops to get on his tail.

And that plan was to make the man wait for his fries by pretending like they weren’t ready to be served. It worked.

Cops pursued Stephens in a high-speed chase, until he pulled over on the side of the road and shot himself.

Henry Sayers, the McDonald’s manager on duty at the time of Stephens’ order, told theNY Times that when Stephens left with his $ 5.35 order he didn’t speed away, but drove off at a normal pace in a white Ford Fusion sedan.

Police said that they weren’t sure how long Stephens was residing in the area, which was some 100 miles away from Cleveland, where the murder took place.

Investigators did receive a “ping” from the man’s cell phone near Erie, but were unsuccessful in locating him. Police attribute the location’s densely wooded areas and plenitude of hideouts like barns and farm houses as one of the reasons Stephens was so hard to track down.

The end of Stephens’ manhunt was ominously predicted by Peter J. Elliott, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio during a news conference.

Muslim Teen Told Dad She Wants To Take Off Her Hijab, And His Response Is Powerful

By Mustafa Gatollari

7 hours ago

When it comes to strictly religious societies, there’s a lot of shame and gossip that goes around. I wouldn’t say it’s the norm from the communities I grew up in. Most people just minded their business, went to the mosque, and did their own thing.

There were a few Judgey McJudgersons who kind of ruined it for everybody else, but for the most part, people were able to do what they want without much backlash from their families or community. Hell, I’ve gone pretty much full rogue and have managed to keep all of my Muslim friends and family members. My wife also used to wear hijab and has long since removed it and, with the exception of a few people who think it’s their place to call her out on it (when I’m not around, I might add) nothing’s really changed in her life.

But that’s not to say there aren’t still Islamic countries and communities that use the hijab as an excuse to control women. But to assume that the only reason a woman would wear hijab is due to her family forcing her to wear it, is pretty darn insulting to the woman wearing it.

Which is exactly what happened to 17-year-old Lamyaa from Pennsylvania, who’s all but accustomed to receiving harassment online for being Muslim.

Her father’s message rang loud and clear, shutting up the troll.

Lamyaa:Baba, I want to tell you something.Lamyaa’s father:Talk to me[asks her if she’s OK in Arabic]Lamyaa:Yeah I’m okay. I was thinking. I want to take my hijab off.Lamyaa’s father:Sweetheart that’s not my decision to make. That’s no man’s decision to make. If it’s what you feel like you want to do, go ahead. I’ll support you no matter what. Is everything okay? Did something happen?

After Lamyaa posted her conversation online, it’s received over 140,000 retweets and more than 300,000 likes.

Lamyaa posted the screenshots of her convo to fight stereotypes about Muslim women, and men, when it comes to the hijab.

“People believe that Islam is misogynistic, hateful, or violent, and I think that stems from their inability to differentiate culture and religion. Islam is a religion and, like all religions, it is what you bring to it.”

Lamyaa also pointed out that she wasn’t trying to say that there aren’t Muslim women who are forced into wearing hijab – because there are.

But she wanted to point out that there are tons of Muslim women, like Lamyaa, who wear the Hijab because they choose to, and to assume that they’re being forced into it is dismantling their agency as women, based solely on their religion. (h/t upworthy)

The Annual Easter Egg Roll is a White House tradition that dates back 138 years and draws some 35,000 visitors to the South Lawn each year. Today is the first Easter Egg Roll since Donald Trump became President, and this led some people to have concerns about the running of the event.

Last week, the New York Times reported that President Donald Trump’s administration seemingly forgot about the annual Easter Egg Roll and didn’t put in an order for eggs for quite some time. The company that makes commemorative eggs for the event had to reach out to the President on Twitter to remind them to place their order.